There is nothing more important than having good and healthy kidneys. Winters are here, which gets even more critical because we often drink less water this season. Healthy kidneys ensure a healthy body. If something is wrong with them, you have to bear the pain and other repercussions too. While it is authentic that drinking a lot of water is the key to keeping them healthy, there are a few different ways to maintain them. To guide you better, here are few ways to ensure healthy kidneys;
Fluids, Fluids, and Fluids
Kidneys are situated below the ribs and maintain the fluid balance of your body. The kidneys filter waste material from the blood and flush them out. They also regulate the amount of vitamin D in the body, along with that of sodium, phosphorus, and potassium.
It is important to drink enough fluids so that the urine produced by the kidney is not concentrated. Concentrated urine can cause the stone formation and cause severe pain. Having at least 8 glasses a day is recommended. On hotter days or during physical exercise, it is recommended to increase it even further.
Know the Risk Factors
Pre-existing diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or even a family history of the disease mentioned above can significantly increase your chances of getting kidney diseases. Other risk factors include age over 60 or older, using pain killers for a prolonged period, having a history of stones or urinary tract infections. Visit your doctor to understand your risk factors better.
Know the Symptoms
1 in 3 people in the United States is at risk of kidney diseases. Kidney diseases are often silent and go undetected until the condition gets very severe. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, difficult and painful urination, foamy urine, pink or dark urine (blood in urine), increased thirst, increased need to urinate (especially at night), puffy eyes, swollen face, hands, abdomen, ankles, and feet.
Get Tested if You Are at a High Risk
If you have any of the risk factors, as mentioned above, get tested. Every adult man or woman over 40 must be screened yearly for elevated blood sugar. Annual blood pressure screening is recommended even earlier, starting at 18 years of age. If you already have diabetes, then you must have your urine checked for protein every year. Other tests can be done at the doctor’s discretion.
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
Eating a healthy balanced diet, taking medication to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, reducing salt intake, avoiding pain killers for a prolonged period, and lowering your protein consumption can go a long way. Don’t forget to exercise 5 times a week for 30 mins at least while maintaining adequate hydration. It is also important to watch your weight, stop smoking and drinking, check your cholesterol levels. Lastly, do not miss your and your family members’ annual doctor’s visit.
Over time especially under this lockdown, our lifestyles have changed. We are spending more time at home and eating a lot too. Ensuring that we still keep ourselves hydrated and eat a healthy diet is the best thing to do in times like these. So to keep your kidneys healthy, drink lots of water, eat some greens, do some exercises, and avoid eating unhealthy. If your kidneys suffer once, there might be chances the conditions only get worse or not regular. So to avoid any regret later, take all the precautions now. Also, to help you better in this case, sign up for a good health insurance policy quote to get better services and rates. Stay healthy, stay happy!
